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- Gowan Milton (Speedy) Cockerell, 86, of Dublin, a retired horse trainer, died Sunday, July 20, 2008, in Dublin, Texas. Services will be 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, July 23, 2008, at the Lacy Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Glenn Shock officiating. Burial will be at Balmorhea Cemetery in Balmorhea, Texas, on Thursday, July 24, 2008, at 3:00 p.m. Visitation will be 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., Tuesday, July 22, 2008, at Lacy Funeral Home. Speedy was born on January 18, 1922, to the late William Henry Cockerell and Mabel Fullwood. He grew up in Eureka, Texas, on his parents farm. He was a member of the Presbyterian Church, along with his parents and older brother, Bill. The two boys were raised in a Christian home of strong faith. Speedy attended public school in Mildred, Texas, where he earned his nickname while playing high school football. He then went to Texas A & M University for two years majoring in entomology. In 1942, Speedy joined the Navy and served as an Aviation Machinists-Mate First Class for three years during World War II. He traveled to Guam on the USS Yorktown and returned to the United States on the USS Barnes. Following his military service, Speedy went to work for Gulf Oil in Crane, Texas. While working there, he met and married Joan Jones from Balmorhea, Texas, in 1946. They raised three children together: Mickie, Buster, and Debbie. While still living in West Texas, Speedy later began cotton farming, ranching, and participating in rodeos. During this time, he began training roping horses and going to rodeos on the weekends. In 1957, the Cockerells moved to the Fort Worth area where Speedy went to work for Convair Recreation Center. There Speedy handled all the horses for the center as he continued to rope and rodeo on the weekends for himself. Speedy eventually began training cutting horses as well, which became a career for the next forty plus years. As a father, he passed on a wealth of knowledge about horses and training them to his children, which continued into their adult lives. During Speedy's horse training career, he achieved many awards and championships. Some of them include: ten American Quarter Horse Championships, eight National Cutting Horse Futurity Finalist and Semi-Finalist, and four American Quarter Horse Honor Roll horses. Due to his knowledge and interest in improving the cutting horse industry, Speedy was fundamental in forming the National Cutting Horse Association and the American Cutting Horse Association. After retiring, he spent his remaining years in Dublin, Texas, close to his son and daughter-in-law, Buster and Wendy, and their children. Speedy was also a member of the Masonic Lodge, Rodeo Cowboys Association, National Cutting Horse Association, American Cutting Horse Association, and the American Paint Horse Association. He was also an approved Judge for the NCHA, AQHA, APHA Shows. Speedy also taught Equine Science at Southeastern Oklahoma State University. Survivors include two daughters: Debbie Cockerell of Lawn, Texas, and Mickie Wilson of Sulphur Springs, Texas; one son: Buster Cockerell and wife, Wendy, of Dublin, Texas; eight grandchildren: Kim Schrock, Cristy Hutton, Amie Cockerell, Casey Galliton, Lacy Lee, John Paul Cockerell, Matthew Cockerell, and Justin Cockerell; five great grandchildren: Anna Hutton, Reagan Hutton, Jackson Hutton, Brylon Schrock, and Adrianna Schrock; and nieces and nephews: Billie McCasland and Greg & Michelle Cockerell.
Service Information
Time, Day, Date: 2:00 P.M., Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Place: Lacy Funeral Home Chapel
Officiating: Rev. Glenn Shock
Disposition: Balmorhea Cemetery, Balmorhea, Texas [3]
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1922 - 2008 (86 years)
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